Sports helmet with integrated liner air pump

ABSTRACT

A sports helmet (for example a football helmet, lacrosse helmet, hockey helmet, or baseball helmet), has an inflatable liner which includes an integrated, finger-operable air pump. The liner further includes an integrated, finger-operable deflation valve that is separate from the air pump. The pump and deflation valve are operable by respective features which protrude through holes in the helmet shell, which enables the wearer of the helmet to conveniently operate the liner by inflating or deflating it as desired, without any external assistance or accessories.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE SUBJECT TECHNOLOGY

The subject technology relates to sports helmets, for example, footballhelmets, lacrosse helmets, hockey helmets, and baseball helmets.

Sports helmets generally comprise a plastic shell, usually a one-pieceshell made of ABS or polycarbonate plastic; internal padding inside theshell, attached directly or indirectly to the inner surface of the shellby, for example, T-nuts or hook-and-loop tape; and a face guard (i.e. afacemask) attached to the shell. A helmet shell has a front region, acrown region, a rear region, a left side region, a right side region, aninner surface and an outer surface.

Internal padding for a sports helmet may include helmet liners, forexample, foam elements encapsulated within cells formed between polymer(e.g. vinyl or TPU) layers. Some helmet liners are “air liners,” inwhich some or all the cells are inflatable through a valve, foradjusting the fit of a helmet to suit a wearer.

Air liners, typically, require an external hand-operated pump, forexample a needle valve pump, for inflation and deflation of the liner.The need for an external pump is an inconvenience which limits theopportunity to made adjustments to the fit of the helmet on the field.

SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT TECHNOLOGY

According to the subject technology, an inflatable liner for a sportshelmet (for example a football helmet, lacrosse helmet, hockey helmet,or baseball helmet), includes an integrated, finger-operable air pump.The liner further includes an integrated, finger-operable deflationvalve that is separate from the air pump. The pump and deflation valveare operable by features which protrude through holes in the helmetshell, which enables the wearer of the helmet to conveniently operatethe liner by inflating or deflating it as desired, without any externalassistance or accessories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an inflatable helmet liner with integratedpump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of an inflatable helmet liner with integratedpump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an inflatable helmet liner withintegrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subjecttechnology.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the liner of FIG. 1 alongthe line A-A, showing the exhaust valve assembly.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a valve seat for an inflatable helmet linerwith integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a valve seat for an inflatable helmet linerwith integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a valve seat for an inflatable helmet linerwith integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a valve seat for an inflatable helmetliner with integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment ofthe subject technology.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional elevation view of the valve seat of FIG. 7along the line B-B, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view of a valve stem for an inflatable helmetliner with integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment ofthe subject technology.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a valve stem for an inflatable helmet linerwith integrated pump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a face guard clip, according to a non-limitingembodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 13 is a left elevational view of a face guard clip, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of a face guard clip, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 15 is a front elevational view of a face guard clip, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view into a lacrosse helmet having an inflatablehelmet liner with integrated pump, and face guard clip, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 17 is a left, rear detail view of a lacrosse helmet having aninflatable helmet liner with integrated pump, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 18 is a right, rear detail view of a lacrosse helmet having aninflatable helmet liner with integrated pump, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 19 is a detail view of a lacrosse helmet having an inflatablehelmet liner with integrated pump, showing the rear lateral paddingdisposed over the liner, according to a non-limiting embodiment of thesubject technology.

FIG. 20 is a detail view of a lacrosse helmet having an inflatablehelmet liner with integrated pump, showing the liner installed on theinner surface of the shell, according to a non-limiting embodiment ofthe subject technology.

FIG. 21 is a view of an inflatable helmet liner with integrated pump,with the top and bottom sheets cut through to show the interior of thepump, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 22 is a bottom view of the liner of FIG. 21, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

FIG. 23 is a view of an inflatable helmet liner with integrated pump,with the top sheet cut partially away to show the one-way valve exitingthe pump chamber, according to a non-limiting embodiment of the subjecttechnology.

FIG. 24 is a bottom detail view of lacrosse helmet showing the faceguard clip and attachment of the face guard via the clip, according to anon-limiting embodiment of the subject technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SUBJECT TECHNOLOGY

According to an aspect of the subject technology, a sports helmet (forexample a football helmet, lacrosse helmet, hockey helmet, or baseballhelmet), has an inflatable liner 11 (i.e., an “air liner”) disposedwithin its shell 10. Liner 11 has an integrated, finger-operable airpump 30 and a deflation valve 50 that is separate from the air pump 15,so that the liner 11 may be inflated and deflated by a user without anyadditional devices such as a hand pump or needle pump.

In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of this aspect of the subjecttechnology, as best seen in FIGS. 1-3, an inflatable liner 11 comprisestwo flexible sheets 12, 13 of nonporous polymer material, for example,polyvinyl chloride or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), consisting of atop sheet 12 and a bottom sheet 13. The top and bottom sheets 12, 13 arebonded or fused together around the edges thereof and in certainintermediate places to form therebetween a plurality of linked,inflatable chambers 14, 15, 16. The inflatable chambers are connected influid communication by passages 17, 18 therebetween. Some or all of thechambers 15 may include pads of foam or other shock absorbing material,for example, pads of Poron or D3O foam. In a preferred, non-limitingembodiment, none of the chambers 15 contain foam pads.

As shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a preferred, non-limitingembodiment, the chambers 14, 15, 16 are arranged in a single row fromleft-to-right. One of the chambers, pump chamber 14, is provided with anupstanding, flexible, resilient, finger-operable pump button 31, whichis molded as an integral part of the top sheet 12. The pump button 31 ishollow and is formed with a small hole 32 at the top to admit air fromthe environment. In use, the user presses on the pump button 31 with afinger to compress the pump button 31 and expel the contained air intopump chamber 14, through passage 17 and into the row of chambers andpassages 15, 16, 18. The user's finger covers the small hole 32 so thatthe air contained in button 31 is expelled as described. When the userremoves his or her finger from button 31 and thereby uncovers hole 32,pump button 31 resiliently returns to its original shape and fills withenvironmental air through the hole 32. The pump 31 may be repeatedlyoperated until the desired degree of inflation is reached.

As seen in FIGS. 21 and 22, cylindrical insert 33 made of open-cell orclosed-cell foam may be provided in the pump button 31 to support thebutton 31 in its upstanding shape and ensure it maintains its shape whennot being pressed by a user. The insert 33 may be bonded to a flat,rigid base plate 34, made for example of metal or hard plastic,positioned at the base of the pump button 31. Base plate 34 has a cutoutsection 35 aligned with the exit of the pump chamber 14 to insure theinsert 33 stays in place and does not block the flow of air.

As seen in FIG. 23, passage 17 from pump chamber 14 is preferablyprovided with a one-way valve 36, such as a duckbill valve or checkvalve, which permits passage of air in only one direction, from the pumpchamber 14. The other passages 18 do not require valves, because theseries of passages 18 and chambers 15, 16 onward is sealed air-tight bythe one-way valve 36 on one end and the normally-closed deflation valve50 as hereinafter described. However, valves such as check valves may beincluded in the passages 18 if desired. In a non-limiting example, asseen in FIG. 23 the check valve may be formed very simply by bondingtogether on opposite edges two flat, rectangular, flexible sheets ofnonporous polymer material, for example, polyvinyl chloride orthermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), to form a flat tube therebetweenhaving a mouth or opening on each end; the valve is positioned with onemouth at or within the exit of the pump chamber 14 and the opposite endextending into the immediate neighbor of the pump chamber 14.

To provide for deflation of the air liner 11, as best seen in FIG. 4-11,a deflation valve or exhaust valve 50 is provided in one of the chambers16 downstream from the pump chamber 14, preferably (in a non-limitingembodiment) the chamber at the end of the row. The deflation or exhaustvalve 50 is normally closed, and when opened by a finger press by theuser, provides a path for air contained in the chambers 14, 15, 16 ofthe air liner 11 to exhaust out, thereby deflating liner 11.

In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment, the exhaust chamber 16 isprovided with a small exhaust hole 51 in the bottom sheet 13, and theexhaust valve 50 is superimposed over the hole 51 to gate the passage ofair through the hole 51. A valve seat 52, which may be made of the samepolymer material as the liner but formed as a separate part, has ahollow generally cylindrical body 53 with a flange 54 at one end. Flange54 is bonded to the bottom sheet 13 over the exhaust hole 51 to form anairtight seal around the exhaust hole 51. A valve stem 55, which may bemade of metal such as aluminum or a hard plastic, is inserted through aspring 56, which may be a coil spring or a wave spring, and into thevalve seat 52, as shown. The valve stem 55 has a head 57 having a face58 which contacts an integrally formed face 59 of the valve seat 53, toclose the valve 50. The spring 56 biases the valve stem 55 in the closedposition, keeping the faces of the stem and seat 58, 59 in airtightcontact with each other. On an end of the valve stem opposite the head,a button 60 is formed. Spring 56 exerts a force on button 60 to keep thefaces of the stem and seat 58, 59 normally in contact and the valvenormally closed.

The exhaust chamber 16 is enclosed by a valve cap 19, which issuperimposed over the valve 50 and may be integrally formed as part ofthe top sheet 12 or may be a separate part, as in the preferrednon-limiting embodiment. If made as a separate part, the cap 19 may beformed of the same polymer material as the top sheet 12 and should bebonded to the top sheet 12 to form an airtight seal. Preferably thevalve cap 19 is made of a thicker, stiffer material than the top sheet,to prevent accidental operation of the valve. In use, when deflation ofthe air liner 11 is desired by the user, the valve cap 19 is presseddown, and contact of the valve cap 19 with the button 60 furthercompresses the spring 56 and moves the face 58 of the valve stem 55 outof contact with the face 59 of the valve seat 52, providing a path forair contained in the chambers 14, 15, 16 of the air liner 11 to exhaustout of the exhaust hole 51. When finger pressure is removed from thevalve cap, the spring 56 moves the valve stem 55 back into the closedposition and the liner 11 may be inflated again by operation of the pump30.

According to a further non-limiting aspect of the subject technology, asshown for example in FIGS. 16-20, an air liner 11 with self-containedpump and exhaust mechanism as described is disposed on the inner surfaceof the shell 10 of a sports helmet 1, which in the non-limitingembodiment of the Figures is a lacrosse helmet 1. The helmet 1 isprovided with a first through-going hole to accommodate the pump button31 and a second through-going hole to accommodate the exhaust valve cap19. Bushings 62, 63 may be inserted through the respective holes for thepump button 31 and exhaust valve cap 19, which are inserted throughopenings in the bushings. The liner may be secured with respect to theshell holes by hook-and-loop fastener material 20 disposed about pumpbutton 31 and valve cap 19. Additional shock-absorbing padding 65 isinstalled over the air liner 11. In this non-limiting embodiment, theair liner 11 is disposed in the rear of the helmet 1, just above thelower edge of the shell 10, corresponding generally to the occipitalarea of the wearer's head. However, it could be installed in any area ofthe shell 10. When inflated, the air liner 11 applies pressure to theshock-absorbing padding 65, pushing it away from the inner surface ofshell 10 and variably filling the space between padding 65 and shell 10,thereby adjusting the fit and ride of the sports helmet 1. The pumpbutton 31 and exhaust valve cap 19 are easily operable by the wearer,simply by reaching behind to the rear of the helmet. Thus, the subjecttechnology enables the wearer of the helmet to conveniently adjustfitment by inflating or deflating the air liner as desired, without anyexternal assistance or accessories.

According to a further aspect of the subject technology, sports helmet 1has a face guard 70 composed of a cage of wire members, includingmembers 78 and 29, removably attached to shell 10. The means providedfor removable attachment of face guard 70 to shell 10 include clip 71and may include additional means such as conventional loop straps. Clip71 is attached to one surface (i.e. the inner or outer surface) of shell10.

As best seen in FIGS. 12-15, clip 71 comprises a T-nut body 72 withfirst retention arm 73 and second retention arm 75 extending outwardlytherefrom, co-planar with body 72 and parallel to each other. Arms 73,74 terminate in retention curves 75, 76, which curve in oppositedirections to define a channel 77. Retention curves 75, 76 engage a wiremember 78 of face guard 70 and locate the wire member 78 in channel 77.In the non-limiting embodiment shown, helmet 1 is a lacrosse helmet andclip 71 is attached under the bill of shell 10, in the central plane ofshell 10. The structure of clip 71 permits attachment of face guard 70at this central location, without interfering with perpendicular wiremember 79 attached to wire member 78.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles. It will also beunderstood that the present invention includes any combination of thefeatures and elements disclosed herein and any combination of equivalentfeatures. The exemplary embodiments shown herein are presented for thepurposes of illustration only and are not meant to limit the scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sports helmet comprising: a shell; aninflatable liner disposed within the shell, the inflatable linercomprising a top sheet of flexible polymer material bonded to a bottomsheet of flexible polymer material to form a series of compartmentstherein; the compartments comprising a pump chamber, at least oneintermediate chamber, and an exhaust chamber; the pump chamber in fluidcommunication through a first passage with the at least one intermediatechamber, the first passage having a one-way valve for permitting air topass from the pump chamber into the at least one intermediate chamber,and preventing air from passing from the at least one intermediatechamber into the pump chamber; the at least one intermediate chamber influid communication with the exhaust chamber through a second passage;the pump chamber provided with a finger-operable pump comprising a pumpbutton and having an inlet therein for the admission of environmentalair; the exhaust chamber provided with a normally-closed valve having avalve cap, the valve gating the passage of air through an exhaust holeformed in the liner, the valve cap being finger-operable to open thevalve to allow air within the liner to escape the liner through theexhaust hole; the pump button situated in a first hole formed in theshell and the valve cap situated in a second hole formed in the shell,such that the pump button and valve cap extend through the shell; andshock-absorbing padding disposed over the liner.
 2. The sports helmet ofclaim 1 wherein the valve comprises a generally cylindrical valve seat,a valve stem, and a spring, the spring contacting the valve stem andbiasing the valve stem against the valve seat so that a face of thevalve stem is normally in airtight contact with a face of the valveseat, the valve cap disposed so that finger pressure on the valve capmoves the valve stem against the force of the spring, such that the faceof the valve stem moves out of contact with the face of the valve seatwhile finger pressure is applied, thereby opening the valve.
 3. Thesports helmet of claim 1 wherein the pump button is formed in the topsheet and the inlet hole is formed in the pump button.
 4. The sportshelmet of claim 1 wherein the pump further comprises a foam insertwithin the pump button;
 5. The sports helmet of claim 1 wherein thefirst hole and second hole are situated in the rear area of the shell.6. The sports helmet of claim 1 wherein the liner is inflatable withoutuse of an external pump.
 7. The sports helmet of claim 1 furthercomprising: a face guard removably attached to the shell by a retainingclip; the retaining clip comprising a T-nut body attached to one surfaceof the shell, a first retention arm extending outwardly from the bodyand terminating in a first retention curve, and a second retention armextending outwardly from the body parallel to the first retention armand terminating in a second retention curve, the first and secondretention curves curving in opposite directions to define a channel forreceiving and holding a wire member of the face guard.
 8. A sportshelmet comprising: a shell having a rear area, a first side and a secondside; an inflatable liner disposed within the shell, the inflatableliner comprising an integrated pump for inflating the liner and anexhaust valve for deflating the liner, the pump being separate from thevalve; the pump operable through a first hole formed in the shell in therear area of the shell on the first side; and the valve operable througha second hole formed in the shell in the rear area on the second side.9. The sports helmet of claim 8 wherein the liner comprises a top sheetof flexible polymer material bonded to a bottom sheet of flexiblepolymer material to form a series of compartments therein; thecompartments comprising a pump chamber, at least one intermediatechamber, and an exhaust chamber; the pump chamber in fluid communicationthrough a first passage with the at least one intermediate chamber; theat least one intermediate chamber in fluid communication with theexhaust chamber through a second passage; the pump chamber provided witha finger-operable pump comprising a pump button and having an inlettherein for the admission of environmental air; the exhaust chamberprovided with a normally-closed valve having a valve cap, the valvegating the passage of air through an exhaust hole formed in the liner,the valve cap being finger-operable to open the valve to allow airwithin the liner to escape the liner through the exhaust hole; the pumpbutton situated in the first hole and the valve cap situated in thesecond hole.
 10. The sports helmet of claim 9 wherein the first passagehas a one-way valve for permitting air to pass from the pump chamberinto the at least one intermediate chamber, and preventing air frompassing from the at least one intermediate chamber into the pumpchamber.
 11. The sports helmet of claim 9 wherein the valve comprises agenerally cylindrical valve seat, a valve stem, and a spring, the springcontacting the valve stem and biasing the valve stem against the valveseat so that a face of the valve stem is normally in airtight contactwith a face of the valve seat, the valve cap disposed so that fingerpressure on the valve cap moves the valve stem against the force of thespring, such that the face of the valve stem moves out of contact withthe face of the valve seat while finger pressure is applied, therebyopening the valve.
 12. The sports helmet of claim 9 further comprising:a face guard removably attached to the shell by a retaining clip; theretaining clip comprising a T-nut body attached to one surface of theshell, a first retention arm extending outwardly from the body andterminating in a first retention curve, and a second retention armextending outwardly from the body parallel to the first retention armand terminating in a second retention curve, the first and secondretention curves curving in opposite directions to define a channel forreceiving and holding a wire member of the face guard.